I would imagine that a good many of us will remember the Swedish pop-rock group ABBA, and their 1976 chart-topping song ‘Money, Money, Money.’  In case you’ve forgotten, the song’s catchy chorus goes like this:

Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man’s world

Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man’s world

Aha
All the things I could do
If I had a little money
It’s a rich man’s world
It’s a rich man’s world

While I’m certain that I don’t know all that the song’s authors, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, intended to communicate in these lyrics, I do know that they placed the emphasis upon a central and vital subject addressed frequently in the Word of God, riches.

Believe it or not, in 1 Timothy 6:17-19 the Apostle Paul directly references this ‘rich man’s world’ as he provides instruction to Timothy regarding his teaching and preaching ministry to the Ephesian Christians of the first century.

He says,

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.  They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

The fact is, our world, “this present age,” is indeed a ‘rich man’s world.’ And the voices emanating from this blue sphere, spinning in space around the sun, are persistently sounding the message, ‘Money, Money, Money.’

How then should believers like us live in such a world as this?  What is our relationship to wealth and possessions?  What are the dangers, duties, and delights of being richly blessed by our Father with material goods?  What should the voices coming from the body of Christ be saying, or singing?

On Sunday, we will begin our deep exploration of the inspired words of the Apostle Paul found in this passage from his first letter to Timothy.